International workers

If you don’t have an employment contract governed by your home country laws when you move to the Netherlands, Dutch employment laws and regulations will be important for you. A selection of the most important rules is provided below.

Please be aware that this overview is for information purposes only; the official (Dutch) text of the law is always definitive.

Permission to work

All non-EU citizens who want to work in the Netherlands must obtain a work permit before they start. There are exceptions, including people working for such international organisations as the International Court and the European Space Agency; the organisation handles all the necessary paperwork for its employees. People from an EU member state or a country within the European Economic Area (except Croatia) do not need to apply for a work permit. Highly skilled migrants may also be exempted, if their status is confirmed.